Mass balling machine



Aug. 18, 1942. I E. WQBRIDGE 2,293,109

MASS lxamLLNG MACHINE' Filed Nov. 18, 1940 ZVShee's-Shyeet ll Aug.-l8`,1942. E. w. BRIDGE n MASS BALLING 'NIAGHINE Y Filed Nov. 18., i940`2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L 3mm war Wrz'clfe Patented Aug. 18, 1942 I UNITEDSTATES @PATENT Iorsi/ci:

2 Claims.

My invention relates to machines for forming plastics into balls, and itespecially has for its object to provide a machine for taking plasticslugs from a die-expressing machine and rolling the slugs (of any shape)into globular masses or balls.

A further object isto provide a mass balling machine that isparticularly adapted for use with the candy depositing machine for whichapplication for patent was filed October 23, 1939, Serial No. 300,864.

Generally, the present invention includes one or more endless flexiblebelts running through a tunnel of circular cross-section, the beltscarrying the slugs into and through the tunnel and rolling them intoballs before discharging the masses from the machine.

More specifically, the invention resides in providing a long mold boardand a short mold board removably secured together to form the tunnel anda trough in advance of the tunnel into Which and along which one flightof an endless belt passes, the belt running flat over flat end pulleysand curving where it runs along the longer mold board to conform to thecross-sectional curvature of the trough tunnel.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed outhereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends the invention stillfurther resides in the novel details of construction, combination andarrangement of parts, all of which will be rst fully described in thefollowing detailed description, and then be particularly pointed out inthe appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the invention, a portion of the dischargeend of the candy-depositing machine being shown. l

Fi-g. 2 is a top plan view of the invention.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section of the same on the line 3 3 of Fig.1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section of another embodiment of myinvention.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of a further modlcation.

In the drawings, in which like numbers of reference indicate like partsin all the figures, I represents the side bars which have end bearings 8for the driving shaft 9 and idle shaft It on which shafts pulleys II aremounted. These pulleys have flanges I2 between which the endless beltsI3 run.

The machine is suitably supported, as at 2.

Mounted between the bars I is the longer mold board 3 Which has one ormore semicircular channels 5. The shorter mold board .4 also'hassemicircular channels 'I which match ,those of board 3. The shorter moldboard `I is secured to the longer one by any suitable means, as -pa boltPreferably, -the `tops of the `pulleys IVI are ,Slightly lower Vthan`.the botmfls of the @hengels 5 'arid the Widths ,of the `kel-19S aresuele that the curved flights will occupy not more ythan the surface ofthe channels 5.'

By providing the longer mold board 3 on the bottom and locating theshorter one 4 adjacent the farther end of the longer one, a space inadvance of the tunnel is provided onto which the slugs'S from thedie-expressing machine I4 are received in spaced relation.

Furthermore, the longer mold board, being considerably longer than theshorter one, serves to keep the belts tracking straight.

The depositing machine has one or more throats I, through which thematerial is expressed, and a cutter I6 reciprocating on pins I8 andhaving a wire II to sever the mass into slugs S.

The balls B roll oif the far end of the machine onto any suitablereceiver (not shown).

In the embodiment of Figure 4, an upper belt 2E) is used. This beltpasses over pulleys 22 on shafts 2l that are mounted in suitablebearings on a bracket I9. In passing through the tunnel, the belt 2li,like the belt I3ar assumes the crosssectional form of the tunnel. InFigure 4, those parts which correspond to like parts in the precedinggures bear the same reference number plus the index letter a and arepetition of their descriptionis thought to be unnecessary here. Thebelt 20 may be driven by a gear connection 23, 24 with belt I3a.

In the modification indicated in Figure 5, the upper belt 20h is shownas running backwards through the tunnel. This may be accomplished byinterposing a reversing pinion 25 between the gears 24U and 23h. Thoseparts in Figure 5 which correspond to similar parts in Figure 4 bear thesame reference number plus the index letter l)v and a repetition oftheir description here is thought to be unnecessary.

In the last two embodiments of my invention, the upper belts are shorterthan the lower ones. The upperv and lower belts preferably travel in thesame direction (Fig. 4) as this helps to prevent the slugs from chokingthe entrance of the tunnel. Its slower motion gives the lower belt,which is travelling at a higher speed, the opportunity to roll the massinto a ball.

In practice, I have operated the machine in three ways: First, I haveoperated it with the upper belt running through the tunnel in the samedirection as the lower belt (Fig. 4). Secondly, I have operated it withthe top belt running backwardly through the tunnel (Figl 5); andthirdly, I have operated it with the top belt standing still; (which canbe accomplished by disconnecting pinions 25) this gives a rough surfaceto the top of the tunnel groove for rolling.

Each of the aforesaid three ways of operating the machine will roll amass into a ball; but the one used in operating the machine dependslargely upon the mixture of the mass to be rolled. This is due to eitherincreased fondant and egg albumen or in the other case an extremequantity of coconut oil.

From the foregoing description, taken into consideration with theaccompanying drawings, it is thought that the advantages, operation andconstruction of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

l. A mass balling machine comprising a support; a lower mold boardhaving at least one longitudinal groove of arcuate cross-section; anendless belt the upper flight of which lies in part in said groove;pulleys adjacent the ends of said lower mold board around which saidbelt passes,

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one of said pulleys being a belt-driving pulley; and an upper mold boardcooperating with said lower mold board having a longitudinal groove toconstitute, with at least a portion of said lower mold board, a tunnelthrough which slugs are carried by said belt, said lower mold boardbeing longer than said upper mold board to extend in advance of the sameand constitute a trough to receive slugs deposited into the trough.

2. A mass balling machine comprising a support; a lower mold boardhaving at least one longitudinal groove of arcuate cross-section; anendless belt the upper flight of which lies in part in said groove;pulleys adjacent'I the ends of said lower mold board around which saidbelt passes, one of said pulleys being a belt-driving pulley; an uppermold board cooperating with said lower mold board having a longitudinalgroove to constitute, with at least a portion of said lower mold board,a tunnel through which slugs are carried by said belt, said lower moldboard being longer than said upper mold board to extend in advance ofthe same and constitute a trough, to receive slugs deposited into thetrough; an endless belt the lower flight of which lies in part in thegroove of said upper mold board; pulleys for carrying said last-namedendless belt; and means for driving said endless belts.

EDWARD W. BRIDGE.

